DETROIT — Former Ray Delmon Young didn't do all that much for the Tigers during the season.

But he has done plenty since, and after knocking in the go-ahead run in all four of Detroit's AL Championship Series wins over the Yankees, he was named series MVP on Thursday.

Young, traded by the Rays to the Twins before the 2008 season and to the Tigers in August 2011, hit .353 in the four-game sweep, with two homers and six RBIs.

Along the way, he became the first player to have four winning RBIs in one postseason series, STATS LLC said. Overall, he has an RBI in five consecutive postseason games.

"Unbelievable," Tigers manager Jim Leyland said. "He got hot again this year at the right time for us. And, you know, he stepped it up under the big lights. Not that they are not bright all year, but they are a little brighter this time of year.

"He stepped it up two consecutive years for us. And the MVP, what a tremendous honor for him."

Young still flashed his temper this season. He was arrested in April in New York on a hate-crime harassment charge.

He was accused of yelling anti-Jewish epithets at a group of tourists, tussling with them and tackling one to the ground. He was suspended for seven days. He is due back in court Nov. 7, after the World Series.

A-ROD STAYING: Speculation is flying, but 3B Alex Rodriguez, who has a no-trade clause as part of the five years and $114 million remaining on his contract with the Yankees, said he isn't going anywhere despite a miserable postseason that landed him on the bench. "I will be back," he said. "And I will be on a mission." GM Brian Cashman seemed to be thinking the same way: "I fully expect Alex to be here next year."

Oh, the futility: How bad were these postseason Yankees, who set a team record for homers (245) in the regular season?

• They were swept in a postseason series for the first time in 32 years (by the Royals, best-of-five 1980 ALCS). The last team to sweep four straight against them was the Reds in the 1976 World Series.

• They joined the 1984 Royals as the only teams to play a league championship series without leading in a game.

• Their .157 average was second lowest in LCS play, behind the 1969 Twins' .155.

• They batted .188 (60-for-320), a low for seven games in the postseason, STATS LLC said, and scored 22 runs, six against Detroit.

• Rodriguez was 1-for-9 against the Tigers. His postseason included going 0-for-18 with 12 strikeouts against right-handers.

ALCS Miscellany: The Tigers' Miguel Cabrera, who homered in the fourth Thursday, has a hit in a record 17 straight LCS games. He has reached base in all 20 of his postseason games with the Tigers, a team record. … Detroit's Max Scherzer allowed a run and two hits in 5 2/3 innings in the finale. He struck out 10 and walked two. "I really had my changeup and my slider going," he said. "When I can combine that with my fastball, that's what makes me effective."

Beltran starts on bench: Cardinals RF Carlos Beltran, who injured his left knee Wednesday running on a double-play grounder, did not start Game 4 of the NL Championship Series against the Giants. Rookie Matt Carpenter batted second in Beltran's spot and played first base, with cleanup man Allen Craig moving to rightfield. Carpenter went 1-for-3 and scored twice during Thursday's 8-3 victory.

In Game 3 he hit a two-run homer off Matt Cain in his first NLCS at-bat after subbing for Beltran, helping the Cardinals take the series lead.

Manager Mike Matheny said tests showed no significant injury and Beltran, 35, was sore but available to pinch hit. "It wasn't one particular spot that seemed to be bothering him," Matheny said. "It just kind of grabbed him."

Looking ahead: Cardinals RHP Lance Lynn, who gave up four runs in 3 2/3 innings in Game 1, will start Game 5 tonight, Matheny said. The Giants will start LHP Barry Zito.